My Husband is a Mafia Boss

CHAPTER EIGHT

I rushed into the café, barely taking a breath as I glanced at my watch. I was cutting it close, and the line seemed to stretch on forever. My foot tapped impatiently as I waited, my mind racing. Lily's text about the finance book had thrown my whole morning into a frenzy. Nearly everyone in our class had already bought it, and if I didn't get my hands on a copy before Mrs. Lewis's class this afternoon, I was doomed.

Finally, with a steaming cup of coffee in hand, I burst out of the café and made a beeline for the nearest bookstore. The school was alive with morning activity, but all I could think about was that elusive finance book. I practically sprinted the last few steps, my heart pounding as I pushed through the bookstore's doors.

A guard stopped me almost immediately, gesturing to a sign that clearly stated no drinks inside. I sighed and placed my coffee on a small table by the entrance, hoping it would still be there when I got back. With a determined nod, I headed into the store, my eyes scanning every shelf for the finance section.

It didn't take long to find it, but locating the book itself was another matter. My heart sank as I noticed the shelves nearly empty. I spotted the book, "Principles of Corporate Finance," sitting tantalizingly on the top shelf, just out of my reach. I stretched on my tiptoes, fingers brushing the spine, but I couldn't quite grab it.

Just as I was about to try jumping for it, a hand appeared over my shoulder and snatched the book effortlessly. I turned around, ready to thank my rescuer, but my smile evaporated when I saw who it was. Percival Montero, the student government douche who I finally managed to learn the name thanks to a poster I saw on a bulletin board, stood there with a smug expression. He raised an eyebrow at me, the book firmly in his grasp.

I forced a smile, despite my irritation. "Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked, his tone dripping with condescension.

"For grabbing the book for me. Though I really don't need your help, you know? I was just about to grab it," I retorted, trying to keep my cool.

He smirked. "Who the hell said I was grabbing it for you? I need it for my finance class."

My eyes went wide as he started to turn away, the book still in his hand. Panic set in. "I need it for my finance class, too!" I protested, tightening my grip on the book.

"Well, tough luck. I got to it first. Now hands off," he snapped and tried prying my fingers off of the book.

"Hey, I got to it first! I just couldn't reach it," I argued, my frustration growing.

"It doesn't matter. My hands touched the book first. Now leave me alone."

"You leave me alone, you creep. That's my book!" I shot back, my temper flaring.

"It doesn't have your name on it," he countered, his tone mocking.

We continued to bicker, both of us clutching the book tightly, until a saleslady appeared, drawn by the commotion. I quickly turned to her, desperation in my voice. "Is there any other copy of this book?"

She shook her head sympathetically. "I'm afraid that's the last one."

Before I could react, Percival the Douche had slipped away, the book still in his possession. I scanned the store frantically and spotted him at the cashier, already paying for it. He glanced over his shoulder, flashed me a triumphant smile, and turned to leave.

I chased after him, my heart pounding. "I'll pay you double for the book," I pleaded.

"I don't care," he replied coolly.

"Come on, I'll be dead if I don't have that book in Mrs. Lewis's class," I said, my desperation clear.

"Not my problem," he said, not even bothering to look at me.

"Don't you have a conscience?" I demanded, exasperated.

"After you gave me all of that attitude? No," he said, brushing past me without a second thought.

I watched him leave, my shoulders slumping in defeat. My mind raced with the implications of not having the book. There was no way I could make it to another bookstore and back in time, not with the city's traffic.

Feeling utterly defeated, I trudged back to the bookstore, retrieving my now lukewarm coffee. I took a sip, staring blankly out at the park filled with students going about their day. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? I thought about Lily and the rest of my classmates, all prepared for Mrs. Lewis's class while I, on the other hand, would surely get kicked out.

I knew I couldn't give up. I pulled out my phone and called every bookstore I could think of, but none of them had the book in stock. Time was ticking away, and I felt the weight of impending failure pressing down on me.

Just as I was about to lose hope, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Lily.

"Hey, I heard Percival got the last copy of the book. Meet me in the library. I have an idea."

A glimmer of hope sparked within me. Maybe, just maybe, all wasn't lost. I grabbed my coffee, finished it before throwing it in the nearest trash bin, and rushed towards the library, ready to see what plan Lily had concocted.

When I arrived, Lily was waiting at a table in the corner, her laptop open and a determined look on her face. I dropped into the seat across from her, out of breath but eager to hear her plan.

"Okay, what's the big idea?" I asked, trying to sound more composed than I felt.

Lily leaned forward, lowering her voice. "I know Percival got the last physical copy, but I found out there's an e-book version available online. The problem is, it's expensive and there's only a limited number of downloads allowed."

My heart sank a little, but I nodded, urging her to continue.

"So," she said, a mischievous glint in her eye, "I did some digging. Turns out, he’s a sucker for limited-edition game collectibles. He has a huge collection, and he always wants the latest items."

I frowned, not seeing the connection. "And how would him being a geek help us?"

Lily grinned. "I happen to know that the newest collectible item for his favorite game just dropped today. If we can get our hands on it, we might be able to trade it for the book."

I felt a surge of excitement. It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing. "Alright, where do we get this collectible?"

"I already ordered it online for express delivery. It should arrive any minute now," Lily said, glancing at her watch. "We just need to wait."

As if on cue, her phone buzzed with a delivery notification. We both bolted out of our seats and rushed to the main entrance of the library where the package was being delivered. I signed for the package, my hands shaking with anticipation.

We tore it open right there in the lobby, revealing a shiny, limited-edition figurine. It was intricately detailed, clearly something that would be a prized possession for any collector. We exchanged hopeful glances and quickly headed to find Percival.

We tracked him down in the student lounge, the finance book sitting smugly on the table in front of him. He looked up as we approached, a smirk already forming on his lips.

"Back for more?" he taunted.

I held up the figurine, trying to hide my anxiety. "We have a proposition for you."

His eyes widened with interest, his smirk faltering. "Is that...?"

"Yes, it is," Lily interjected, cutting him off. "The newest limited-edition collectible for your favorite game. We thought you might want to trade it for that book."

Percival stared at the figurine, clearly torn. He glanced between us and the book, weighing his options. Then suddenly, a smirk formed on his lips.

My eyebrows furrowed, confused. “What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing. Except for the fact that I already have that same exact action figure sitting on my desk.” He laughed. “You really think it was gonna be that easy?”

I glared at him, ready to pounce at any moment as I grabbed his collar. “Listen here, you asshat. I need that book for a class that I’m gonna have today. And since clearly, you aren’t gonna be swayed by me asking nicely, then maybe, if I stick this action figure up your ass, you’d—”

“Woah, woah,” he interjected, raising his hands up. “Are you threatening me?”

“Why? Are you threatened?”

He chuckled and removed my grip on him. “You know what, fine. I’ll let you borrow it for today. But only on one condition.”

Lily tried stopping me but I had already made up my mind. “Name your price.”

“You’re gonna get me coffee every day for two whole weeks. Do we have a deal?”